Greg Cohen

Greg Cohen
Concert of "Masada": Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax)
Background information
Genres	Jazz, Jazz fusion, Rock, Pop
Occupations	Double bassist, producer, arranger
Instruments	Double bass
Associated acts	John Zorn, Masada, Ornette Coleman, many others

A native of Los Angeles, bassist Greg Cohen has been playing in various acclaimed music groups since the '60s. He is perhaps best known for his work with John Zorn's Masada quartet; more recently he has been touring with Ornette Coleman, and performed on Coleman's much-praised Sound Grammar album.

Cohen's experience reaches far beyond any one style or genre. He has worked with musicians such as Tom Waits, David Byrne, and Elvis Costello. His bass playing credits include work with artists such as Dagmar Krause, David Sanborn, Susana Baca, Gal Costa, Marisa Monte, Laurie Anderson, Willie Nelson, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Dave Douglas, Misha Mengelberg, Tricky, Jesse Harris, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, Joey Baron, Donovan, Crystal Gayle, Bob Dylan, Alan Watts, Lee Konitz, Richie Havens, Dino Saluzzi, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, Odetta, Fiona Apple, Danny Barker, Tim Sparks, and Antony and the Johnsons.

He has also often played traditional jazz, including work with Ken Peplowski, Kenny Davern, Marty Grosz and the filmmaker/clarinettist Woody Allen.

Cohen has composed for the Lincoln Center Theater, among others, and collaborated on film score arrangements for such movies as Ed Wood and Fried Green Tomatoes.

In August/September 2006 he was musical director of the Century of Song series at the German arts festival RuhrTriennale. He invited songwriters and performers such as David Byrne, Holly Cole and Laurie Anderson.

Greg Cohen is a regular member of Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band, which plays every Monday evening at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel. He appears in the documentary film Wild Man Blues (directed by Barbara Kopple). Cohen appears in Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" (1993).

Cohen is a bass professor at the Jazz Institute Berlin.

Discography

As leader

• Way Low (DIW, 1998)
• Moment to Moment (DIW, 1998)

As sideman

With Laurie Anderson

• Life on a String (Elektra Nonesuch, 2001)

With Fiona Apple

• When the Pawn… (Epic/Work, 1999)

With David Byrne

• Look into the Eyeball (Virgin, 2001)

With Kenny Davern and Ken Peplowski

• The Jazz KENnection (Arbors Records)

With Dave Douglas

• Charms of the Night Sky (Winter & Winter, 1997)
• A Thousand Evenings (RCA, 2000)
• El Trilogy (BMG, 2001)

With Marianne Faithfull

• Easy Come, Easy Go (Naive, 2008)

With Madeleine Peyroux

• Dreamland‎ (Atlantic, 1996)

With Marc Ribot

• Shoe String Symphonettes (Tzadik, 1997)

With Tim Sparks

• At the Rebbe's Table (Tzadik, 2002)
• Little Princess (Tzadik, 2009)

With Loudon Wainwright III

• Social Studies (Hannibal, 1999)

With Tom Waits

• Heartattack and Vine
• Swordfishtrombones
• Rain Dogs
• Franks Wild Years
• The Black Rider
• Mule Variations
• Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards

With John Zorn

• Masada: Alef (1994; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Beit (1994; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Gimel (1994; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Dalet (1994; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Hei (1995; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Vav (1995; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Zayin (1996; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Het (1996; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Tet (1997; DIW) with Masada
• Masada: Yod (1997; DIW) with Masada
• Bar Kokhba (1994–96; Tzadik) with Bar Kokhba
• The Circle Maker (1998; Tzadik) with Bar Kokhba
• First Live 1993 (2002; Tzadik) with Masada
• Live in Jerusalem 1994 (1997; Tzadik) with Masada
• Live in Taipei 1995 (1997; Tzadik) with Masada
• Live in Middleheim 1999 (1999; Tzadik) with Masada
• Live in Sevilla 2000 (2000; Tzadik) with Masada
• Live at Tonic 2001 (2001; Tzadik) with Masada
• The Unknown Masada (Tzadik, 2003)
• 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 1 (Tzadik, 2003) with Masada String Trio
• 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 7 (Tzadik, 2003) with Masada
• 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 11 (Tzadik, 2003) with Masada String Trio
• Astaroth: Book of Angels Volume 1 ‎ (Tzadik, 2004) with the Jamie Saft Trio
• Sanhedrin 1994–1997‎ (Tzadik, 2005) with Masada
• Azazel: Book of Angels Volume 2‎ (Tzadik, 2005) with Masada String Trio
• Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 (Tzadik, 2008) with Bar Kokhba
• Stolas: Book of Angels Volume 12 (Tzadik, 2009) with Masada Quintet
• Filmworks XX: Sholem Aleichem (Tzadik, 2008)
• Alhambra Love Songs (Tzadik, 2009)
• In Search of the Miraculous (Tzadik, 2010)